Ann Akinjirin
Ann Akinjirin | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Ann Akin |
| Alma mater | |
| Years active | 2006–present |
Ann Akinjirin, formerly credited as Ann Akin, is a British actress and theatre maker. Her films include Old Guy (2024) and Dreamers (2025). Her television work includes the BBC series Trigonometry (2019) and the Disney+ series Moon Knight (2022).
Early life
Akinjirin is of Nigerian descent. Akinjirin attended Copthall School.[1] At age 11, she started taking Saturday classes at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. At age 16, Akinjirin went the BRIT School.[2] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Bedfordshire in 2007[3] and then trained at the Drama Centre London.[4]
Career
In 2013, Akinjirin founded the theatre company Harts, where she served as artistic director. Her early television appearances include episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Law & Order: UK and the ITV sitcom The Delivery Man. She was a regular on the 2015 BBC sketch comedy The Javone Prince Show.[5] This was followed by further appearances in the ITV comedy-drama Cold Feet and the Dave series Crackanory.[6]
Akinjirin featured in an installment of the 2017 Channel 4 science fiction anthology Electric Dreams.[7] From 2018, she had a recurring role as DS Vanessa Ekwensi in the BBC One crime drama Strike.[8] She had her first named feature film role as Detective Constable Amy in King of Thieves that year.[9]
In 2019 and 2020, Akinjirin played Dee in the BBC Two miniseries Trigonometry.[10] She appeared in the BBC One miniseries I May Destroy You as Alissa[11] and The Salisbury Poisonings as Davina Moens, and the Peacock adaptation of Brave New World as DJill29.[12] Akinjirin joined the HBO Nordic series Beforeigners for its second season in 2021 as Precious.[13]
This was followed by roles as Bobbi Kennedy in the Disney+ series Moon Knight in 2022[14][15][16] and Aunt Fanny in the 2023 CBBC adaptation of The Famous Five.[17] She then starred in Simon West's 2024 action comedy Old Guy as Opal and Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor's 2025 drama film Dreamers as Farah opposite Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́.[18][19] Also in 2025, she played Barbara Pierre-Dupont in the Doctor Who spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.[20]
Bibliography
Plays
- Conversations with Love
- Normal?
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Normal? | Short film; also director, writer | |
| Down Dog | Teacher | ||
| 2018 | King of Thieves | Detective Constable Amy | |
| All the Devil's Men | Security Engineer | ||
| 2019 | The Phone Call | Ciara | Short film |
| 2021 | For Love | Martha | Short film |
| 2024 | Old Guy | Opal | |
| 2025 | Dreamers | Farah |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2014 | EastEnders | Nurse Sarah Michael | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Law & Order: UK | Cecile Bakama | Episode: "Mortal" |
| 2014 | Give Out Girls | Amy's Friend | Episode: "Hot Boy" |
| 2015 | Valentine's Kiss | Stage Manager | 1 episode |
| The Delivery Man | Mrs Akua | Episode: "Foundling" | |
| Humans | Police Woman | 1 episode | |
| The Javone Prince Show | Various | 4 episodes | |
| You, Me and the Apocalypse | Bank Customer | Episode: "Home Sweet Home" | |
| Unforgotten | Nurse | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | Cold Feet | DI Brunswick | 1 episode |
| Citizen Khan | Police Officer | Episode: "Cricket" | |
| 2017 | Crackanory | Lauren | Episode: "Living with a Lie" |
| Electric Dreams | Dr Simpson | Anthology: "The Commuter" | |
| 2018–2020 | Strike | Vanessa Ekwensi | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | The Rook | Margaret Akinola | 1 episode |
| Trigonometry | Dee | Miniseries | |
| 2020 | I May Destroy You | Alissa | 2 episodes |
| The Salisbury Poisonings | Davina Moens | 2 episodes | |
| Brave New World | DJill29 | 4 episodes | |
| 2021–2022 | Beforeigners | Precious | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Moon Knight | Bobbi Kennedy | 5 episodes |
| 2023–2025 | The Famous Five | Aunt Fanny | 5 episodes |
| 2025 | The War Between the Land and the Sea | Barbara Pierre-DuPont | 5 episodes |
Video games
- House Hack (2021) as DJ Robbie
References
- ^ A. Dyson (22 February 2018). "Actress Ann Akin welcomed at Copthall School". Copthall School. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Ann Akinjirin Talks BBC Adaptation of The Famous Five". Wonderland. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Alumni shares 'virtual' advice with aspiring Media and Performance students". University of Bedfordshire. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Finance your Wandsworth startup". Wandsworth Council. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Davies, Hannah J (23 July 2015). "Cracking jokes and the Candy Dance: have you been watching The Javone Prince Show". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ^ "Ann Akin". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Petski, Denise (21 March 2017). "Timothy Spall To Star In 'Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams' 'Commuter' Episode". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ "Interview with Ann Akin (Detective Ekwensi)". Strike. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Wolfe Murray, Angus (6 September 2018). "King Of Thieves (2018) Film Review". Eye for Film. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ So Mayer. "Culture Club: Watching TRIGONOMETRY directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari". Club Dee Femmes. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ Carr, Flora (1 June 2020). "Meet the cast of Michaela Coel drama I May Destroy You". RadioTimes.
- ^ Lennon, Mads (22 July 2020). "Brave New World Season 1, Episode 7 recap: Monogamy and Futilty Part 1". ShowSnob. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (16 November 2021). "HBO Max Drops Beforeigners Season Two Trailer; Paul Kaye, Ann Akin, Billy Postlethwaite Join Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Colombo, Charlotte (5 September 2023). "Moon Knight cast, characters and actors". The Digital Fix. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "Behind the Breakout: Ann Akinjirin". Dojo Actors. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Bell, Amy (11 December 2023). "Ann Akinjirin". ReVamp. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Hall, Daisy (11 December 2023). "Ann Akinjirin: 'Filming The Famous Five Felt Like We Were On A Summer Holiday'". Grazia. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Kleinmann, James (2 March 2025). "Exclusive Interview: Dreamers stars Ronkę Adékoluęjo & Ann Akinjirin "among trauma there can be joy, laughter & there can also be love"". The Queer Review. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Felperin, Leslie (2 December 2025). "Dreamers review – deep sense of empathy powers emotionally vivid refugees' drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ Opie, David (7 December 2025). "'The War Between the Land and the Sea' cast: who plays who, from Russell Tovey to Gugu Mbatha-Raw". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 February 2026.